WASHINGTON STATE

Washington State House Democrats

HOUSE DEMOCRATS

Thursday, February 6

Lockport High School in Lockport, N.Y., has adopted a facial recognition system for security.

Facial Recognition Moves Into a New Front: Schools
Jim Shultz tried everything he could think of to stop facial recognition technology from entering the public schools in Lockport, a small city 20 miles east of Niagara Falls. He posted about the issue in a Facebook group called Lockportians. He wrote an Op-Ed in The New York Times. He filed a petition with the superintendent of the district, where his daughter is in high school. But a few weeks ago, he lost. The Lockport City School District turned on the technology to monitor who’s on the property at its eight schools, becoming the first known public school district in New York to adopt facial recognition, and one of the first in the nation. Continue reading at The New York Times. (Libby March for The New York Times)


A mural by Haruka Ostley called 'Journey to Peace' spans a hallway on Wednesday, February 5, 2020, during a media tour of the new Clark Children and Family Justice Center on Alder Street in Seattle.

King County opens doors to controversial new youth detention center
Over the next two weeks, King County will transfer about forty youth in its custody from the old Youth Services Center to the new Children and Family Justice Center. The new facility in the Central District contains courtrooms, a resource center for families, and 112 new juvenile detention beds, despite ongoing community protests against youth detention. County officials say the new $232 million facility will offer better conditions for court visitors as well as incarcerated youth and their families than the cramped building it replaces. Continue reading at KUOW. (KUOW photo/Megan Farmer)


Amazon, Microsoft support business tax to address housing
Major Seattle-area companies say they are willing to be taxed to help address regional challenges, such as affordable housing and public safety. KUOW reports the companies — including Amazon, Microsoft, Starbucks, and Alaska Airlines – signed a statement released Tuesday, saying: “We think the most high impact way to contribute to meet those needs is in the form of a new business tax.” The statement comes as state lawmakers consider a bill that would allow King County to tax large businesses with high earners to help address homelessness in the region. Continue reading at The Skagit Valley Herald.


Print

Associated Press
State lawmakers retreat on flavored vaping ban (Cleveland)
Trump unleashes fury at impeachment enemies at prayer event
‘A floating prison’: Cruise of Asia ends in virus quarantine
Gov. Inslee issues emergency declaration for 19 counties
Photos of ‘king tides’ globally show risks of climate change
Rains causing flooding in western Washington
Bipartisan bill to stop Ore. prison from taking detainees
Amazon confirms it’s moving into Des Moines suburb warehouse
Seattle councilwoman to pay $500 for violating ethics code
Amazon, Microsoft support business tax to address housing (Macri)
Feds: Hanford’s Plutonium Finishing Plant is demolished
Spokane Council member seeks to quiet anti-abortion protest
States use Catholic clergy abuse lists to screen applicants
Bill looks to repeal non-binding tax advisory votes (Kuderer, Hunt)

Aberdeen Daily World
‘Chronic nuisance’ properties condemned in Hoquiam
Aberdeen releases 2020 Transportation Benefit District project plan
 
Capital Press
Washington lawmakers add fuel to climate change fire (Carlyle)
Washington takes on beef origin label bill
WDFW: Wolf collar mandate tough to meet
 
The Daily News
Herrera Beutler backs Senate vote, calling impeachment process flawed
Property tax bills to increase for many Cowlitz County residents
 
Everett Herald (subscription required)
Housing costs, supply are getting dire in Snohomish County
School bomb threat becomes a piece of major child porn case
Smaller jetliners are the future, says an aerospace maven
On car taxes, Sound Transit says it gets it, but does it? (Liias)
$240M to help overcrowding and security of Mukilteo students
Cornfield Report:Tim Eyman, Engelbert Humperdinck and ‘Sound Trexit’
Editorial: State still needs a full ban on vaping flavors
 
Federal Way Mirror
Crime down in Federal Way for fourth year
King County Council could place roads levy lift on 2020 ballot
 
The Inlander
Gun-toting Shea supporters prompt Democratic proposal to restrict guns in Washington state Capitol
With new analysis showing Washington State Patrol disproportionately searches minority drivers, Spokane lawmakers, community advocates call for reform (Riccelli, Ormsby)
 
Islands’ Weekly
Vacation rental working group invites Lopez to timely dialogue
 
Issaquah Reporter
How is the 2019 novel Coronavirus impacting the Eastside?
North Bend facility will serve as U.S. quarantine zone
 
Journal of the San Juan Islands
San Juan Island Fire & Rescue Honored for 2019 Service
 
Kitsap Sun (subscription required)
County plans to decommission a section of Veterans Memorial Park
 
New York Times
Facial Recognition Moves Into a New Front: Schools
Trump Administration Freezes Global Entry Enrollment in New York Over Immigration Law
 
Peninsula Daily News
Canadian court rejects challenge to pipeline, tankers
Governor issues emergency proclamation because of flooding
Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman to host telephone town hall Thursday (Van De Wege, Tharinger, Chapman)
Editorial: Discovery Pass decision
 
Puget Sound Business Journal
Gates Foundation ups its commitment to $100M for coronavirus response
Analyst: Boeing faces ‘dire’ situation if its new jet program fails
Hope for an HIV vaccine not lost after one drug proves ineffective
U.S. trade deficit shrinks, but not because factories are returning
 
Seattle Times (subscription required)
Downtown Seattle shooting suspects charged with murder and assault; prosecutors request they be held without bail
Rain to cause flooding into the weekend, but Seattle area could soon get some dry days
Why are Washington’s school counselors monitoring recess?
Seattle-area wage growth slowing down — or is it? Economists are dubious
Former state Rep. Jeff Morris likely broke rules on harassment and intimidation, House probe finds
Amazon’s big Bellevue ambition: 15,000 employees within a few years
Bloomberg: Chinese doctor who warned of early coronavirus infections has died
Bloomberg: Self-driving mass transit arrives on American streets
The apology: 20 years later, Alaska Airlines CEO delivers soothing words for families of those lost on Flight 261
Bellevue was built for cars. Now, as it prepares for thousands of new workers, the city is reinventing itself.
Car-tab confusion: The state was up to 6 weeks late in mailing 525,600 December renewal bills
Half of Seattle bike-share rental bikes were inoperable in late-summer maintenance slump, city audit says
Sound Transit to Washington state Legislature: Let’s reduce car-tab taxes
Touting ‘zero youth detention’ goal, King County offers tour of new $242M juvenile jail
Washington Sens. Murray and Cantwell vote to convict Trump on impeachment articles
SeaTac settles lawsuit over $37,000 bill it sent to immigrant-rights group for Trump protest
Editorial: Legislature should choose wisely to fix special districts
Op-Ed: Juvenile justice: Address the complex needs of youth in system
 
Skagit Valley Herald
Second round of flooding still possible
 
Spokesman Review
House committee approves bill that would restrict immigration agents around courts (Thai)
Washington bill would mandate collaring wolves in “problem packs”
Daybreak Youth Services reaches fundraising goal, looks to hire counselors
Opinion: Don C. Brunell: Keeping health workers healthy is key to fighting deadly diseases
 
Tri-City Herald
Emotional 2-hour debate on Pasco home for sex-trafficking victims ends in deadlock
Nation’s largest plutonium factory is rubble. Hanford workers complete demolition
 
USA Today
Tennessee bill would charge parents with child abuse for letting kids have a sex change
 
Walla Walla Union Bulletin (subscription required)
Editorial: Safety should be top priority for state road projects (Shewmake)
 
Washington Post
Trump to address nation on his acquittal
President lashes out at National Prayer Breakfast
Doctor who tried to sound alarm about coronavirus — but was silenced by police — has died
Gates Foundation pledges $100 million to fight coronavirus
Trump administration to allow drilling and mining in areas once protected as national monuments
Trump suspends Global Entry, traveler programs for New York residents over ‘sanctuary’ policies
Don’t sell my data! Now there’s a law for that — if you jump through these hoops.
Obstetric violence is a real problem. Evelyn Yang’s experience is just one example.
Barr warns against Chinese dominance of 5G super-fast networks
 
Wenatchee World
Chelan PUD pitches 10-year plan to remove large quantities of oil from dam turbines

Yakima Herald Republic
Fentanyl fueling increase in opioid-related deaths, Yakima County coroner say

Broadcast

KING5 TV (NBC)
Seattle shooting suspects charged with murder had ‘no regard’ for bystanders
Washington lawmaker wants to keep death penalty after sister’s murder by Green River Killer (Carlyle)

KIRO7 TV (CBS)
Numerous flood warnings issued as rain continues to fall across Northwest
Survivors push new law to preserve sexual assault evidence (Orwall)
Groundbreaking for massive pedestrian bridge over I-5 to Northgate
 
KOMO4 TV (ABC)
Conestoga Huts: Is Oregon city’s solution for homelessness working?
US agency approves vehicle designed not to have human driver
 
KNKX FM
`Why is your skin like that?’ Students of color speak out about discrimination
 
KUOW FM
King County opens doors to controversial new youth detention center
Bellevue, Olympia residents petition to break away from Puget Sound Energy
 
NW Public Radio
Want Some Arsenic With Your Apple? Group Aims To Address Pesticides In Central Washington’s Soil
Hanford’s Long-Shuttered Plutonium Finishing Plant Is Now Demolished After Delays, Safety Issues
 
Q13 TV (Fox)
With special elections around the corner, local elections officials talk security
Ferguson asks for state cold case unit after hundreds of backlogged rape kits linked to known criminals (Orwall)

Web

Crosscut
Women affected by natural-hair discrimination explain why it is still a problem in Washington state (Morgan, Kilduff)
When a Washington woman fought tribal disenrollment, she became a target
Opinion: As support for a business tax in King County builds, should progressives celebrate?
From Canadian imports to price caps, WA lawmakers seek ways to cut drug prices (Keiser)
 
MyNorthwest.com
New bill takes ‘holistic’ approach to traffic (Shewmake)
Inslee issues emergency weather proclamation
Kitsap passenger ferry doubling service to meet demand

Normandy Park Blog
Burien Police Chief Ted Boe will speak at ‘Highline Good Neighbors’ meeting on Thurs., Feb. 13 (Orwall)
 
Schmudget
It’s time for a statewide Child Savings Account program
 
Seattle P.I.
Bill to add federal protections to Puget Sound passes in U.S. House of Representatives
King County Housing Authority Section 8 waitlist to open for first time since 2017
Trump administration wants brief by retired Washington judges put on ICE
Seattle officials are considering banning winter evictions. Could this state bill block it?

Slog
Our Students Need a Cap on Extreme Rent Increases (Macri)
Breaking: Not Every Republican Senator Is a Spineless, Enabling F***nut